By Natalie Zee Drieu
I love to save cool boxes, especially the ones with flap-style lids like cigar boxes, so that I can reuse them for storage. What I don’t like is how boring they look or have their branding emblazoned on the box. While organizing my craft room this month, I needed a place to store all the loose bits of ribbon I have collected over the years. With just a few sheets of decorative scrapbooking paper, you can turn a boring box into a stylish storage solution for your craft supplies.

Materials

Cardboard box
Enough sheets of scrapbooking paper to cover your box I used 3 sheets of Amy Butler’s Design Paper. You can also use any other kind of paper, but scrapbooking paper works best because of its thickness and durability.X-Acto knife
Pencil
Ruler or measuring tape
Aleene’s Tacky Glue with brush
Towel

Directions

Step 1: Turn your box upside down so that the bottom is facing up at you. Grab 1 sheet of scrapbooking and place it under the box. Adjust the paper so that on the left side there is a 1″ allowance (or however much you need) between the edge of the box and the edge of the paper. Make sure there is also 1″ at the top of the box. Now use your fingers to lightly crease the box edges.Step 2: Use your ruler or measuring tape to measure out 1″ from the edge of the right side of the box on the paper. Mark this spot with your pencil. Remove the box from the paper and trim off the excess paper.Step 3: Place the paper back under the box with the box on its side and the top of the box facing away from you. Align the paper placement with your previous paper creases. Use your X-Acto knife to make a slice in the paper from the lid’s corner of the box outward. This will allow you to fold the edge of the paper underneath the lid.Step 4: Go around the edge of your paper and begin to fold and crease it over the edges of the box.Step 5: Once all the creases are in place, use your Tacky Glue and lightly brush it on the bottom edge and back panel of the box, making sure that you smooth out the glue and there are no clumps. Take your box with the bottom facing you and slowly place it on the paper using the paper creases as a guide. Press the box down onto your workspace. Then fold over the bottom paper edge to cover the bottom of the box.Step 6: Lightly brush the glue onto the edge of the paper for the sides of the box and press them into the crease. Lift the top flap of the box and lightly brush glue onto the box cover. Place the cover onto the paper and press into place. You may want to use your towel here to lightly press the paper into place, moving in one direction from top to bottom. Add glue to the paper edges remaining and fold them over to adhere them to the top of the box. Use your towel to wipe off any excess glue from your hands or the box.Step 7: Now we will work on covering the bottom of the box. Take your new sheet of scrapbook paper and align it so that the back edge is aligned flushed to the box. Leave a 1″ margin again on the front and left and right sides. Use your ruler to measure, and trim the paper accordingly using your X-Acto knife.Step 8: Place the paper on the bottom of the box and align it to fit so that the 1″ margins are on the front and sides of the box. Once this looks correct, use your fingers to fold and crease the edges over. Take out the box and lightly brush the glue on the paper, and place it on the bottom of the box. Then lightly glue the paper edges and fold them over the sides for the front and 2 sides.Step 9: We are almost done! Now we just need to cover up the sides. To do so, measure the sides of your box and add an extra 1″ for the allowance. I used 3 strips and adjusted them to fit my box, starting with the front of the box first since this would be in more prominent view. Repeat the same technique for trimming the paper and gluing.
That’s it! Now you have your finished decorative storage box where you can place ribbons, thread spools, patterns, or whatever you wish.

I have always loved paper covered boxed, but never tried to make them before! This is a great tutorial, with awesomely clear photography and steps! Thanks Nat!

Annpine

I like it… have always wanted to spruce up some of the mooncake boxes. oh, mooncake is an asian thing. Thanks for listing such clear directions. =)

Natalie Zee Drieu

Good idea on sprucing up the mooncake boxes and some of them come in tins too!

Annie

Great use of a great design – I love that Amy Butler paper. I just made my daughter some couch pillows using that fabric, I think I’ll make her some storage boxes to match.

janeeyer

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